Spirit-level.



0. c. FINN. SPIRIT LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1911.

1,027,532, Patented May 28, 1912.

- 7' 24 Lmwl To all whom it may concern UNITED STATES AT NT OFFICE.

CLARENCE C. FINN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR; 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES L. HEATH, OF" ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SPIRIT-LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed. June 19,1911. Serial No. 634,059.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spirit-Levels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which V p f a Figure 1 1s a side elevational view of t e central portion of a spirit-level embody'ng my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view, one

of the side or bearing-rings being re ved; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on t e line 33, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4: is a detailed sectional view on the line H, Fig. 2. f

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in spirit-levels'generally and more particularly in means for adjustably mounting the bubble-tube, within or ,on the body of the level, the objects of my invention'being to provide a spirit-level with means carrying the bubble-tube'adapted, whenevernecessary, to be adjusted to properly position the bubble-tube relatively to the straight leveling-edge of the level, and more particularly to providea simple, com paratively inexpensive, and adjustable means for carrying the bubble-tube which can be readily operatively arranged in or applied to the beam or member forming the body of the level. v

With these objects in view, myinvention resides in the novel construction and combination of the severalvparts ofmy new adjustable bubble-tube carrying-means and in the novel arrangement and combination of the same with thefbody' of a'level, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward and in which opening 2 the bubble-tube car-.

ryingmember hereinafter described is adapted to be arranged. Said body-portion is also provided in its upper portion with a longitudinally-disposed slot 3 extending from the top surface thereof and communi- C. FINN, a

eating with said circular opening 2 and which forms a sight-opening through which the bubble within the bubble-tube carried by said bubble-tube carrying-"member may be readily seen or observed, as hereinafter more fullyappears from the upper surface of said body-portion. Arranged or positioned within said circular opening 2 is my new adjustable bubble-tube carrying-member, this member be ing preferably in the form of a ring 4: with 1 6, so as to expos'eto view the. central'portion of said bubble-tube 7, are sight-openings 8; and formed through the top of said solid portion 5' and in direct alinement with said longitudinal slot or sight-opening 3, is a top sight-opening 9. At its marginal side edges, said ring 4 is suitably cut away or recessed, as at 10 and 10 see particularly Fig. 3, to. provide grooves adapted to receive the inner edges of retaining or bearing-rings 1111 preferably countersunk, so as to be flush with the side faces of body-portion 1, in grooves or recesses '12 formed in said side faces of body-portion 1 immediately adjacent said circular opening These rings 1111*, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, are secured on opposite sides of said body-portion by means of screws "or other suitable fastening devices 14 and, as will be seen, serve to hold or retain said member or ring 4 in proper positionin body-portion 1 and as a bearing therefor'or--in other words ring 41 is journaled in 'said plates 11 -11: Formed in I said body-portion 1 isaseries of transversely disposed pockets'15 for the bearing pinions and the adjusting pinion hereinafter referred to. Thesepockets15, of which there are preferably three arranged equidistantly apart "aroundf the circumference of. said cir cular-opening-Q, communicate, as shown par ticularly in Fig. 2, with said circular opening 2; and located or arranged within the two upper pockets 15 are, what I call, bearing-pinions 16 provided at their ends-with trunnions 17 j ournaled in said bearing-rings 11-11, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, and the teeth of which pinions are adapted to mesh with corresponding teeth 18 formed on the periphery of said ring 1.

Arranged or positioned within the lowermost or intermediate pocket 15 is what I call the adjusting pinion 19, the teeth of which likewise mesh with said teeth 18 on said ring 4. This pinion 19 is provided at one end with a trunnion 20 ournaled in one of said bearing-rings, for instance, in ring 11, and having in its face a slot 21 adapted to receive the end or point of a screw-driver or other suitable tool for rotating the same, for purposes hereinafter appearing; at its other or opposite end, this pinion 19 bears directly against the inner face of the opposite ring or ring 11 as shown particularly in Fig. 3, and at this end said pinion 19 is l provided with a threaded bore adapted to receive the body of a locking screw 23 passing through, and having, when in full locking position, its head countersunk in, said ring 11*, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. While said bubble tube and the bubble therein may be readily observed from the sides of said body-portion 1 through said sight-openings 8, yet, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, the upper half of said ring 1 is provided or formed wit-h a c-ircumferentially disposed slot 24 extending centrally therethrough and in direct alinement with said sight-openings 3 and 9, whereby, as will be obvious, a view of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein may also be had from the top surface of body-portion through said sightopenings 3, 9, and 24.

On the bubble tube carrying member 4 being arranged in said body-portion 1 and adjusted to properly position the bubbletube 7 and the bubble therein relatively to the straight leveling-edge 1 thereof, my new level is adapted to be used in the ordinary manner, and when laid with its straight edge 1 upon a surface for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not said surface is level, the bubble in said tube 7 can be readily observed not only through said side sight-openings 8, but also through said top sight-openings 3, 9, and 24. Should now the position of the bubble in said tube 7 relatively to said straight edge 1 of said bodyportion 1 become untrue, or should it, for any other reason, become necessary or desirable to again adjust bubble-tube 7 relatively to said straight edge 1* of said bodyportion 1, the level is properly placed with its said edge 1 upon a flat surface known to be level,screw 23 unscrewed or loosened sufficiently to permit pinion 19 to be rotated, and pinion 19 then rotated by means of a screw-driver or other suitable tool. The rotary mot-ion thereby given to said pinion 19 will be transmitted to ring 4; by means of the teeth of pinion 19 meshing with the teeth 18 on said ring, and thus said ring 4 carrying the bubble-tube 7 may be rotated in either direction to bring or adjust said bubble-tube 7 and the bubble therein into a true, proper position relatively to said straight edge l of said body-portion 1, the bubble in said tube 7 normally, as is usual, occupying a position in the center thereof. During the rotary movement or adjustment of ring 4, the upper port-ion. thereof bears against said pinions 16, and thus said pinions, during such movement of ring a, per form the functions, as it might be said, of roller bearings. After the said ring 41 has been so rotarily moved to properly adjust the position of said bubble-tube 7 and the bubble therein relatively to said straight edge 1 of body-portion l, the screw 23 is again tightened in the end of said pinion 19, the eby locking the same to said ring 11 and preventing rotary movement thereof and also effectually locking said ring 1 and the bubble-tube 7 carried thereby against rotary movement in either direction, which movement would, of course, render the level unfit for service. i

The construction herein shown and described is comparatively simple, comprises but few moving parts, can be constructed at comparatively little c'ost, presents a near and finished appearance when operatively applied to the body of a level, and provides a simple means for easily and quickly obtaining accurate adjustment of the bubbletube and the bubble therein relatively to the leveling-edge of the level.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form, construction, arrangement, or combination of the various parts of my new sprit level may be made in those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. spirit-level comprising a body-portion having a straight leveling edge and provided with a laterally-disposed opening extending therethrough, bearing-rings on said body-portion around said opening, a bubble tube carrying ring provided with ear teeth on its periphery arranged in said opening and journaled in said bearingrings, said carrying-ring being adapted to be rotarily moved to adjust the position of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein relatively to said leveling-edge of said bodyportion, a pinion journaled in said bearingrings and meshing with said gear teeth and adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying-ring, and a screw adapted to engage with one of said bearing-rings and with said pinion to lock said pinion and therewith said carrying-ring against rotary 1 r ngs, said carrying-ring being adapted to movement; substantially as described.

2. A spirit-level comprising a body-portion having a straight leveling edge and provided with a laterally-disposed opening extending therethrough, bearing rings on said body-portion around saidopening, a bubble -tube carrying-ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery arranged in said opening and journaled in said bearingbe rotarily moved to adjust the position of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein relatively to said leveling-edge of said bodyportion, an adjusting pinion journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth and adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying-ring, bearing pinions also j ournaled insaid bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, and means adapted to lock said adjusting, pinion and therewith said carrying-ring against rotary movement; substantially as described.

3. A spirit-level comprising a body-portion having a straight-leveling-edge and provided with a laterally-disposed opening extending therethrough, bearing-rings on said body-portion around said opening, a bubble-tube carrying-ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery arranged in said opening and journaled in said bearing-rings,

said carrying-ring being adapted to be rotarily moved to adjust the position of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein relatively to said leveling-edge of said bodyportion, an adjusting pinion journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth and adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said body-portion, bearing-pinions also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, and a screw adapted to engage with one of said bearing-rings and with said adjusting-pinion to lock said adjusting-pinion and therewith said carrying-ring against rotary movement; substantially as described.

4:. A spirit-level comprising a body-pon tion having a st-raight-leveling-edge, a laterally-disposed opening extending therethrough, and a longitudinally-disposed slot extending therethrough from the top surface thereof to said opening, and a bubbletube carrying-ring arranged in said opening and adapted to be rotarily moved to adjust the position of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein relatively to said levelingedge of said body-portion and having a circumferentially-disposed slot in its upper portion in alinement with said longitudinally-disposed slot, whereby said bubble-tube and the bubble therein carried by said ring may be observed from the top surface of said body-portionz substantially as described.

5. A spirit-level comprising a body-portion having a straight-leveling-edge, a latwhereby said bubble-tube and the bubble therein may be observed from the top surface of said body-portion, and means adapted to rotarily move said bubble-tube carrying ring; substantially as described.

6. A spirit-level comprising a body-portion having a straight-leveling-edge, a laterally-disposed opening extending therethrou'gh, and a longitudinally-disposed slot extending therethrough from the top surface thereof to said opening, bearing-rings arranged on said body-portion around said opening, a bubble-tube carrying-ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery arranged in said opening and journaled in said bearing-rings, said carrying-ringbeing adapted to be rotarily moved to adjust the position of said bubble-tube and the bubble therein relatively to said leveling-edge of said body portion and being provided with a circumferentially disposed slot in its upper portion in alinement with said longitudinally-disposed slot of said body-portion, whereby said bubble-tube and the bubble therein maybe observed from the top surface of said body-portion, and a pinion journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth and adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying-ring; substantially as described.

7. The adjust-able bubble-tube carryingmeans herein described,, the same comprising a ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery and having in its upper portion a circumferentially-disposed slot, a bubbletube carried by said ring within the area thereof and in alinement with said circumferentially disposed slot, bearing-rings in which said carrying ring is journaled, and a pinion also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, said pinion being adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying-ring in said bearing-rings; substantially as described.

8. The adjustable bubble-tube carryingmeans for spirit-levels herein described, the

same comprising a ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery and having in its up-'- per portion a circumferentially-disposed slot, a bubble-tube carried by said ring with in the area thereof and in alinement With said circumferentially-disposed slot bearing-rings in which said carrying-ring is journaled, an adjusting pinion also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, said pinion being adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying-ring in said bearing-rings, and bearing-pinions also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth; substantially as described.

9. The adjustable bubble-tube carrying means for spiritlevels herein described, the same comprising a ring provided with gear teeth on its periphery and having in its upper portion a circumferentially-disposed slot a bubble-tube carried by said ring Within the area thereof and in alinement with said circumferentially-disposed slot, bearing-rings in which said carrying-ring is journaled, an adjusting pinion also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, said pinion being adapted to be rotated to rotarily move said carrying ring in said bearing-rings, bearing-pinions also journaled in said bearing-rings and meshing with said gear teeth, and means adapted to lock said adjusting pinion and therewith said carrying ring against rotary movement in said bearing-rings; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE C. FINN.

WVitnesses RUTH PETERSON, JAMEs L. HEATH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 20. C. 

